Gabby Agbonlahor makes damning Man United claim amid Ollie Watkins interest
Gabby Agbonlahor has questioned whether Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins should leave the West Midlands in favour of Man United.
The 29-year-old showcased his attacking prowess once more last season by scoring 16 goals in 38 Premier League appearances.
Meanwhile, as Ruben Amorim looks to add more quality to his attacking ranks, Man United are interested in signing Watkins.
The Red Devils finished in a highly underwhelming 15th place in last season’s Premier League, as striker Rasmus Hojlund notched just four goals in 32 top-flight outings.
Agbonlahor claims Man United move would be a backward step for Watkins
While Man United endured a largely disappointing season last term, Aston Villa narrowly missed out on a top-five spot and reached the Champions League quarter-finals as well as the FA Cup semi-finals.
Speaking live on talkSPORT [3 July], Agbonlahor said: “Moving to Manchester United is a move backwards, so I don’t get why he (Watkins) would go there.
“That would say to me that you’re choosing the team for maybe financial reasons.
“I think if he wanted to leave, he’d go to a Champions League playing club, not Manchester United. I mean, Manchester United are not going to finish higher than Aston Villa next season.
“Aston Villa are in the Europa League, still playing in Europe. If he’s going to leave, I’m sure he’d go and play Champions League football.”
Watkins would be the Hojlund upgrade Amorim needs
Football Insider verdict
As alluded to by Agbonlahor, moving to Man United may not be the best move for Watkins to make due to Villa’s trajectory in recent seasons compared to that of Amorim’s men.
| Ollie Watkins stats | Premier League 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 38 |
| Goals | 16 |
| Assists | 8 |
However, if the Old Trafford outfit successfully land a move for the England international, his signature would help the Red Devils progress in the Premier League.
The North West side’s problems stem further than their lack of quality in the final third, but the former Brentford man is better than the striker currently at Amorim’s disposal.
Football Insider have exclusively revealed that Watkins’ potential move to Man United hinges on Hojlund’s future, as the Old Trafford club look to reshape their forward line.
But if the Red Devils can offload the 22-year-old and replace him with the Villa man, it would likely prove to be a shrewd piece of business from Amorim.
Hojlund has been unable to perform in the Premier League for Man United, whereas Watkins has proven himself as a frequent goalscorer in the top flight.
Meanwhile, Unai Emery’s men have been tipped to sell Watkins in a Villa News exclusive.